The Center for Competitive Politics has filed a federal lawsuit against Secretary of State Scott Gessler, saying Colorado’s campaign finance laws are overly burdensome and violate the First Amendment rights of small educational groups that want to weigh in on a ballot question.

“I’m sympathetic to these small groups wanting to engage in their elections and it only further illustrates how screwed up our campaign finance laws are,” Gessler said in an emailed statement today.

The case was filed on behalf of the Coalition for Secular Government, an organization formed in 2008 by philosopher Diana Hsieh and her friend Ari Armstrong. The group’s mission is to advocate for “a secular understanding of individual rights, including freedom of conscience and the separation of church and state,” according to the lawsuit.Read more…

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.